[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

[BenBrown]

Hú Lí taps on her drum again.

"Should we be moving on?" she asks. "If Captain Dartmoor claims there is a source of fresh water to the south and east, then perhaps we should go that way. It is as good as any other. The forest may be dangerous, but if we stand here on the shore, we are sure to be seen by anything passing by."

She steps in the direction that Captain Dartmoor indicated, and taps her drum sharply twice more. "Let us march!"

 

[Pentius]

Noriaki steps toward the south east with Hu Li, saying cheerfully, "Well, then, let us leave the soggy logbook for another time and be on our way. A nice walk would be much nicer than sitting around on this sandy beach."

 

[GROMkill]

Taking up foot alongside Hu Li and Noriaki, Takahaan addresses the rest. "Onward, friends. These supplies won't mean anything to us without fresh water to quench our thirst."

 

[Mewness]

The adventurers start working their way southeast through the dense jungle, following a ridge that steadily rises in that direction. It is extremely hot, and the steady climbing and thick vegetation make for very slow going. At the head of the group, Castile and Takahaan often have to cut their way through vines and undergrowth, for which the magical sharpness of Castile’s new axe comes in especially handy.

After two hours and more of this hard work, the jungle becomes quieter, the calls of birds and animals dwindling. And several members of the group notice something more disturbing.

[sblock=Perception 13 (active or passive)]You notice a whitish substance that stretches between some of the trees around here.

[sblock=Perception 19 (same check)]The white stuff is web spun by an unusually large spider. These webs look ragged and old; perhaps the spiders are not here anymore. Or perhaps they have built new webs somewhere nearby....[/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Map key]A. Attack of the lobster-things.
B. Wreck of the Jenivere.
Red dot: You Are Here.[/sblock]

 

[twilsemail]

The Pict ranges, as they approach the woods, but as they near the trees, he bounds onto Sasha's shoulder for a few moments. "There were birds. Their patterns indicated just a bit of water in the area. There might be some hunting involved. Have you foraged before?" he doesn't particularly give her much time to answer. "No. I think not." He hops off her shoulder and heads back to the Captain.

The Captain calls out as he spots the stuff in the trees. "Ware the trees. They're glistening in gossamer goo." His men seem to sober up and take up positions around him. Even if the party continues moving, the Irregulars appear ready for battle.

 

[Mewness]

"I've hunted before," says Sasha defensively, and to no-one in particular, as the fae who was talking to her has already gone somewhere else. "What is that stuff? Should we keep going?"

 

[Pentius]

As they slog through the jungle, Noriaki tries to keep the appearance of morale up, but his actual morale is slipping, and the truth of it shows whenever there's a significant lull in chatter. He'll adjust his headband for the hundredth time, or try to wipe away sand and salt that is at least half imagined. After the first hour, not even the antics of a troupe of piskies and grigs keep him entertained. So absorbed is he that though he notices the spider webbing, its significance escapes him. "Ah, just what I needed. That better not get in my hair." he moans.

[sblock=ooc]Perception: 1d20=13

On another ooc note: the difference between my reaction to this as a player and a character is funny to me.
Me: Shipwrecked on a haunted island? Sweltering jungles filled with danger? Sweeeeeeeet!
Noriaki: Sand in my shoes? Salt on my clothes? Dirt on my clothes? Sweat? Gross.[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

[sblock=ooc]I think I had a similar reaction to reading the module. "Boy, there sure is a lot of slogging around in the hot jungle with monsters and shipwrecks and stuff." (Beat.) "If I were playing in this, I'd get totally into it."

Funny Screamer article, by the way. Everyone check it out if you haven't already =)[/sblock]

 

[Dekana]

After several hours of slogging through the dense jungle while wearing heavy armor and chopping through foliage, Castile almost wishes she were back on the shore partaking of the wine. It's not like they couldn't have waited for a few days enjoying the vacation. Of course, the more realistic part of her knows that life wouldn't have lasted long without fresh water.

Castile may be frustrated, but she keeps enough of her wits about her to notice the spider silk between the trees. She immediately raises her fist for the others to hold.

"Whoa..." She turns to face the party members behind her. "Have a look over there. I think a giant cave spider may be on the loose." (Why would it be a cave spider?) "I'd guess the web looks a little old though. Maybe it's moved on?" She looks uncharacteristically nervous at thought of the giant spider.

 

[BenBrown]

Hú Lí moves forward slowly, her robes not the best clothing for jungle trekking.

"What should we be looking for in the trees?" she asks Captain Dartmoor.[sblock=ooc]Perception upon entering jungle (1d20+6=7)[/sblock]